PREreview Champions Program
Three female scientists - Daniela Saderi, Monica Granados, and Samantha Hindle - co-founded to address the lack of diversity and transparency within scholarly peer review and to empower marginalized researchers to engage in the open review of preprints. The PREreview Champions Program, launched in 2024, trains and supports individuals who share this mission and seek to support others within their communities to participate in the peer-review process. The pilot program consisted of 20 Champions selected based on their experience with PREreview and Open Scholarship, as well as their plans to implement the training.
The program spans 12 months and includes selection, onboarding, training, engagement activities, and final reporting. Champions receive the with a focus on how to adapt the materials to their own contexts and train others within their local communities. The workshop series provides practical guidance on writing reviews alongside how to address issues of bias and systemic oppression within peer review. In the six months following the training, Champions complete at least one engagement activity, such as leading workshops, delivering talks, organizing collaborative Live Reviews, or mentoring peers.
Ongoing support is a key feature of the program. Champions receive a with guidelines, templates, and resources, along with access to a shared drive for collaboration. Regular calls and a dedicated Slack channel facilitate communication, problem-solving, and sharing both successes and challenges.
After completing the program, Champions report on their activities and provide feedback to help improve future cohorts. Upon completing at least one engagement activity, they receive an honorarium in recognition of their contributions and have the opportunity to continue to participate in an alumni capacity as a mentor and expert. The program has been funded by grants from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and, more recently, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
A successful Champions Programme requires not only adequate financial resources but also significant staff time to ensure effective management, community building, and high-quality support for team members. PREreview lacks the capacity for a dedicated full-time role; however, appointing a programme lead or co-leads is essential to prioritize the programme and provide a clear point of contact for both staff and Champions. The lead(s) are responsible for providing sufficient scaffolding and structure to the programme by developing key materials such as the Champions’ Handbook, training materials, and onboarding/offboarding resources, incorporating input from colleagues and feedback from participants to refine future iterations. It is also important not to be over-ambitious with the number of Champions. Limiting the program to 20-30 participants ensures each Champion feels well-supported and valued. Starting with a smaller group as part of a pilot program and scaling gradually is what we would recommend as best practice. For further information on how to resource your own Champions’ Programme, see nine () developed by The Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement (CSCCE) with input from PREreview’s Head of Community, Vanessa Fairhurst, and other members of the champions programs working group.
For more information about the PREreview Champions Program, please refer to
Vanessa Fairhurst, Daniela Saderi, Chad Sansing, and Grace Park